Vehicle-reach.



Patented Ian. I, l90l.

I P. S. WITHINGTON.

-VEHICLE BEACH. (Application filed May 9,, 1900.)

(No Model.)

H m M W WITNESSES PETER STANTON WITHINGTON, OF SLACK, WYOMING, ASSIGNOROF ONE- HALF TO CHARLES BINGHAM HOLMES, OF SAME PLACE.

VEHICLE-REACH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 665,297, dated January1, 1901.

Application filed May 9, 1900. Serial No. 16,054- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, PETER STANTON WITH- INGTON, residing at Slack, inthe county of Sheridan and State of Wyoming, have made certain new anduseful Improvements in Vehicles, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is an improvement in vehicles, and particdlarly in thereach or coupling, and has for an object to provide a simplc, durable,and easily-applied reach of great strength and whose application andconnection will not weaken the other parts of the vehicle,

The invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinationsof parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention as inuse. Fig. 2 is a side View, partly in section, of the reach and itsconnections. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the socket-plates.Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the ball-section of the reach,and Fig. 5 is a detail cross-section on about line 5 5 of Fig. 1. j

The reach A is made of tubing of size suitable to the Wagon or othervehicle, and instead of a king-bolt connection with the front axle Iemploy a ball B at the front end of the reach, fitted in a ball-socketat O, the ball to be placed in the socket when the wagon is made. So Iprefer to make the reach in sections, the ball B having a short shank B,threaded or otherwise suitably connected with the main portion of thereach. As shown, the shank B has an angular portion B to receive awrench and a threaded end B to turn into a threaded socket on the mainportion of the reach. The ball-section B of the reach may be made of anydesired length; but usually I make it to extend abouthalf way from thefront axle to the front hounds, as shown.

In providing the ball-socket O, I prefer to form it partly in two platesD and E, secured, respectively, to the axle F and the sand-board G andfitted face to face with the hemispherical sockets in their abuttingfaces and having outlet-recesses d and 6, through which the shank Bprojects. The plates D and E have flanges D and E, which overlap theedge of the axle and sand-board, thus strenthening the connection andrelieving the strain and wear on the bolts for receiving and keeping theplates D and E in place. The plate E is provided with a central bolt E,which extends up through the sand-board G and bolster G and is securedwith a washer and nut ,to hold the bolster, the nut being countersunk inthe bolster, as shown.

The rear coupling may be similar to the front one, before described,except that I provide a plate H, having a concave seat H for the reachand flanges for the hounds I, so the reach may be tightly held by theclip J or in other suitable manner.

In operation the improved reach rocks readilyin the front axle and willallow a wheel to pass over an obstruction or drop in a hole or rutwithout breaking or twisting the reach or coupling-pole. Further, eitherend of the vehicle may be tipped over without injuring or disturbing theother end of or splitting or otherwise injuring the reach. The draft ofthe vehicle will also be lightened, there being no friction or bindingon the reach. Furthermore, the axle is not weakened, as is the casewhere a hole is formed for a king-bolt, as no hole is required in theimproved construction.

While the improvement is shown in connection with a gas-pipe or tubularreach, it manifestly can be applied to any other form of reach, and itshould also be understood that other forms of universal joint or swivelthan a ball and socket are within the broad principles of my invention.

The reach can be adjusted to any desired length by adding or removingsections and, being free of bolt-holes, possesses greater 0 strengththan the ordinary reach.

In the rear coupling, the grip being perfectly solid and stationary,there is no wear, and the rear connection can be easily changed to anydesired point on the reach.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination substantially as described of the axle and sand-boardand bol- 10o ster, the plates secured to the opposing faces thereof andhaving flanges overlapping the edges of said axle and sand-board andprovided in their inner faces with hemispherical recesses forming aball-socket, the bolt cxtending from the upper plate upwardly throughthe sand-board and bolster, and the tubular reach having a sectionprovided with a ball fitting in the ball-socket of the axle, an angularwrench portion and a threaded end for connection with the main portionof the reach substantially as set forth.

2. The-combination of the reach having the main section and at its frontend the ball-section threaded to the main section and provided with aball and with an angular porball, the front axle and sand-board and thesocket-sections secured theretqand receiving 1 the ball, the uppersection being provided with the upwardly-extended bolt, substantially asset forth.

PETER STANTON \VITIIINGTON.

Witnesses:

IsAAc K. MCNUTT, HALLET S. WITHINGTON.

